GrainGrowers has welcomed the Victorian Government's decision to make urgently required rehabilitation and repair work to sections of the Western Highway as an essential first step toward improving all critical grain freight routes throughout the State.
GrainGrowers Policy Manager, Trade and Supply Chains, Annabel Mactier, said the investment in the Western Highway was a welcome development for grain growers and regional communities and was long overdue.
"From a grain industry perspective, it is great to see the government acknowledge the importance of this highway to our industry and the local economy.
"As one of Victoria's highest-volume grain freight routes, the highway is critical for connecting the Wimmera - one of our key grain-growing regions - to domestic markets and export facilities in South Australia, Melbourne, and Geelong."
"Improving the Western Highway will not only enhance safety but also strengthen the efficiency and reliability of grain transport, enabling grain growers in the Wimmera to get their grain to market faster and more cost-effectively."
Ms Mactier said the road infrastructure investment would also importantly improve road safety.
"Between Ballarat and Stawell, the Western Highway has seen 174 crashes over the past decade, tragically resulting in 15 fatalities and 104 serious injuries. These statistics underline the urgent need for upgrades to ensure the safety of local communities and the many freight operators who depend on this route."
Ms Mactier said additional investment was required to address maintenance and upgrades on other critical grain freight routes across regional Victoria.
"There are no easy fixes to address the mounting issues in road infrastructure, but the sooner we start, the better off we will be in terms of road safety and efficiency of freight movements across the network."
She cited the Hamilton Highway as a good example of the issues caused by deteriorating roads.
"The Hamilton Highway had 16 different speed reductions due to rough surfaces between Hamilton and Geelong over the weekend. Ignoring the problem is not a solution, with the condition of the road yet another example of the safety and efficiency issues impacting the transport of grain."
Ms Mactier said in the wider context, the grain industry has asked the Federal Government to prioritise roads and infrastructure that delivers the most value back to growers and rural communities.
“Given the scale of issues impacting regional roads we need all levels of government to work collaboratively on improving the road network,” Ms Mactier said.
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